Shovel attachment



Jan. 6, 1942. F. J. MASON 2,269,119

SHOVEL ATTACHMENT l Filed March 2, 1940 Patented `an. 6, 1942 UNITED sTATiazs PATENT QFFICB n 2,269,119 I f t Y A f y s sHovEL ArianneHMENTy Frederick J. Mason, Oakland, Calif. x YApplication March 2, 1940Serial i 6 claims. (c1. asl-1131.5)

The invention relates to an attachment for shovels and designed to make easier the penetration of the blade in relatively hard soil, gravel or the like. Y

An object of the invention is to provide an attachment of the character described, which will cause the shovel blade to move downwardly into the soil upon simply pulling the shovel handle backward.

Another object kof the invention is to provide an attachment of the character described which will insurev a rm engagement with the ground,

Figure 8 isa top viewof shown in Figure 6. 4j

- Considerable diiculty is generally encountered when digging with an ordinaryshovelin soil or other material which is relatively hard Vor in the attaching piece large'lumps, such as gravel. Most of the trouble so as to prevent any slipping lthereover either of the shovel or the attachment during the digging operation. l

A further object of the invention is to provide a device of the character described which may tion of the preferred form of the invention which is illustrated in the drawing accompanying and forming part of the specication.- It is to be understood, however, that variations in the showing made by the said drawing and description may be adopted within the scope of the inventio as set forth in the claims. f

Referring to said drawing:

Figure 1 is a side view of my attachment as applied to a shovel and showing the same in position for initiating the digging operation.

Figure 2 is a rear view of the shovel and attachment as shown in Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a view similar to Figure l, butY showing the parts after the shovel has dug well into the ground.

Figure 4 is a cross sectional View taken through the attaching piece of the device, the line of the section being indicated by the line 4 4 of Figure 1.

Figure 5 is a cross sectional view of the attachment arm.

Figure 6 is a view similar to Figure 5, but

. showing a modified form of the attachment arm.

Figure 7 is a cross sectional view of the arm of the form shown in Figure 6, but showing the arm in inoperative position folded up and back against the shovel handle.v

is due to the fact that the force required for' penetration must be applied directly by the operator, such as by pressingdownwardly upon the handle with theIhand of the operator or bypressing ,thel operatorsfoot downwardly against the top' edge of the-shovel blade. As may be readily understood, the downward force upon'the blade isat best no greater, than the downward force applied, directly bythe operator. .Any force appliedby the operato-r pulling the handle backwardly ,'while pressing the blade downwardly serves merely to direct the point of the blade forwardly. The act of ypulling or drawing the handle backwardly is probably the easiest of the shoveling operations, but in thel use of the ordinary shovel in the conventional manner, this force does not appreciably j assist in the inward `or downward penetrating action of the blade. In accordance, however, with-my invention, once the tip of the blade hasrbeen slightly embedded in the ground or yother matter to be shoveled, Ythe act, of simply .drawing thehandle backwardly serves to force theblade directly into the work aswell as to simultaneously direct 'samefor- ,wardly. Furthermore, with the means. of my `inventional shovel 13. It will be obvious of course that 'the Aattachment may bek incorporated as a built-in part of the shovel. As will be clear from Figures 1 to 3,inclusive, the attachment comprises anarm I4 arranged ,to be connected at one end to the shovel and to engage the work at its other end. The endv of the arm designed to be connected to the shovel is forked to provide ears I6 which are pivotally connected to a ring I1 such as byscrews I8. The ring is arranged to be slipped over the free. end ofv the handle and vpositioned inboth casesijust above the upper edge of the shovel blade I9. The ring is preferably secured inposition on the handle by means of a cotter pin 2l which extends through openings 22 in the ring and an opening 23 in the handle, the latter opening being made available to use in attaching the ring to the handle by removing the rivet which had formerly engaged in such opening and had been originally used for assisting in securing the blade to the handle. It should be understood that in most conventional shovels the removal of one of the several rivets provided thereon for securing the blade to the handle, will not materially affect the attachment between the handle and the blade. Of course, if desired, a hole may be independently drilled inthe handle for reception of the pin, or the handle attachment ring may be in the form of a twopiece clamp 23 Whose segments 24 arefsecured about the handle by means of bolts 26.

As will be clear from the drawing, the pivotal. y

axis of the arm I4 extends transversely of the shovel handle and widthwise of the shovel blade, and theA length of the arm I4 is such that when the shovel is in an upright position the-free end ofthe arm may engage the ground. Sincev the free end-of the armzisdesigned to be anchored to the ground during the normal operation of the device, I preferably make such end of aform to insure its rm grip with the ground, such as by providing claws or teeth 26 in a foot portion 21 formed onthe arm. A foot-piece 28is desirably affixed to the arm and arranged to project from the rear side thereof, so that the.. operator may engage the same with his foot and thereby assist in keeping the arm 1n anchoredposition.

Inl. the use of the device, the shovel is-generally first placed in practically full upright position with the tip 29 of the blade partially insertedinto the top surface of the work, as indicated in Figure l. At the same time the armA is placed in a forward position with its claw endfirmly engaging the work surface. The operator then places one foot uponthe footI rest 28 and-both hands upon the shovel handle, usually near the upper endY thereof. He then draws backwardly upon the handle, thereby urging thev blade tip forwardly. However, due to the inclination of the blade, the latter will be caused to movel downwardly, that is inthe direction of least resistance. Obviously, as the blade isthus forced downwardly it also moves forwardly, therebycausing the blade to assume a. less inclinedY position ashit is advanced in ther digging operation. Finally, when the handle is pulled backward and-downwardly suciently and the arm pivot approaches the ground or workv surface, the eifective downward and forward penetration of theA blade into the work will cease and infact thev blade may be caused to elevate and at the same time raise the material contained on the blade.- The `operator is then ready to bodily raise ther shovel withthe materialA andv remove same as may be desired..V

In order to limit the` forward position-ingof the arm at the rear side ofthe blade, thebifurcated portions` of the arm at its pivoted-end are arranged to engage a lower portion: of the handle or the top. of the blade. Preferably, a spring 3| is connected to the attaching ring' and to thearm, and the relationship of the partsA is such thatthe spring will hold the arm forwardly at the back of the shovel blade for the operative position or hold the arm raised up and back against the shovel handle as when it is'. desired; to use the shovel in a conventional manner.

In Figures 6 and '7 I have shown a somewhat modified form of the invention, the modification consisting mainly in theformrof the arm-i4.

In this embodiment the arm, while being of channel cross section as in the rst described embodiment, has the open side of the channel in reverse relation, so that when the arm is folded upwardly against the handle, the arm may nt and partially surround the handle and thereby be less conspicuous when the arm is not being used. Preferably the arm is so shaped as to conform to the curvature of the portion of the handle against which it becomes positioned when inoperatively disposed. In this form of the invention the arm is designed to engage a spring catch 32 when the arm is placed in the operative position against the handle, and the foot rests 28 are formed as separate sections at the opposite sides of the channel.

I claim:

l. The combination with a shovel of the character described, of an arm positioned at the rear of the shovel blade and pivoted to the shovel adiacenti the top ofi said; blade for movement about a2. horizontal axis through the handle and being of! such length'that the free' end thereof may engage the ground simultaneouslywith the shovel bottom whenv the shovelI is in upright position, said arm. havingi a; foot rest'A thereon substantially adjacent its pivotal connection.v

2. The combination withl a shovel vincluding a blade and handle, of an arm pivotally connected tothe shovel handlev adjacent the base thereof for movement about a horizontal axis and positionable at the` rear of the handle or the blade andV being` of such length that the free end thereof may engage the ground simultaneously with the bottom of the blade when the shovel is in substantially upright position, the ground engaging end of said arm being formed with a forwardly extending ground. penetrating projection, designed so as to advance into the ground as the arm is tilted forwardly.

3.. In. an attachment` for a shovel having a blade anda handle, an arm arranged' for pivotal connection toV the shovel adjacent the top of the blade portion for movement about a horizontal axis Vthrough the handle to and fromY the rear side of theblade, a ground penetrating projection at a free end of said arm,.al foot reston said arm substantially adjacent the pivoted portion, and a` spring to' urgev the arm toward the rear of the blade.

4. In a shovel attachmentof the character described, an attachment piece arranged for positioning about the shovel' handle adjacent the top of the shovel blade, an armLpivoted to such piece for movement about ai horizontal axis traversing the handle and in such manner that the arm may be positioned at the rear side of the blade for movement to and from same, a ground engaging portion at a free end` of said arm, said arm being made of. such length that when operatively associated with the shovel said ground engaging portion may contact with the ground simultaneously with the bottom of the shovel when the shovel is in upright position.

5. In a shovel attachment of the character described, an attachment piece arranged for positioning about the shovel handle adjacent the top of the shovel blade, an arm pivoted to such piece for movement about a horizontal axis traversing the handle and in such manner that the arm may be positioned at the rear side of the blade for movement to and'from same, a ground engaging portion at a free end of said' arm, said arm being made of such length that when operatively associated with the shovel said ground engaging portion mayv contact with the ground simultaneously with the bottom of the shovel when the shovel is in upright position, and said arm being of channel cross section and conforming in general to the portion o-f the handle above the portion engaged by the attaching piece whereby said arm may be folded to t back against and around the handle.

6. In a shovel attachment of the character described, an attachment piece arranged for positioning about the shovel handle adjacent the top of the shovel blade, an arm having forked end portions straddling said piece and handle and pivoted to such piece forv movement about a horizontal axis traversing the handle in such manner that the arm may be positioned at the rear side of the blade for movement to and from same, ya ground engaging portion at a free end of said arm, a foot rest extending rearwardly from the rear side of the arm and located substantially adjacent the pivot, said arm being rmade of such length that when operatively associated With the shovel said ground engaging portion may contact With the ground simultaneously with the bottom of the shovel When'the shovel is in upright position, and said arm being of channel cross section and conforming in general to the portion of the handle above the portion engaged by the attaching piece whereby said arm may be folded to ft back against and around the handle.

FREDERICK J. MASON. 

